#kay i owe you another version of this prompt because this did not go the direction i'd planned 🙈

[ninzied]

pieces

they fight. brownstone era. for @dreamsinthewitchouse. ~1k.

It starts out so small that Henry hardly realizes what it’s become until it’s too late. He doesn’t mean to sigh when Alex gets home and sets his things down at the table, next to the dinner Henry’s spent hours making only to then watch grow cold. But then Alex’s apology—which Henry is certain he means but rather wishes hadn’t been needed to start with—feels just sharp enough that Henry is hurt by it, and the hurt comes out all wrong.

It comes out angry, and maybe a little bit selfish, and Alex is stretched thin as it is, Henry knows this, yet once he’s made it about himself it’s like a disease and he can’t seem to stop it from spreading.

And then he hears Alex say that he can take the couch, and Henry goes so still it’s as if Alex just dealt him a physical blow. They’re fighting, he realizes. It’s one dinner, which Alex hadn’t even known he was missing, and now it’s come to them sleeping apart because Henry’s little feelings got wounded?

“No,” says Henry. “Absolutely not.”

Alex rubs tiredly at his eyes. “Are we really going to fight about this, too?”

“No,” says Henry hotly, “because this part is not up for discussion. You’re the one with exams tomorrow, so I’ll be taking the couch tonight, thanks.”

“Hen,” Alex starts, but Henry walks past him into the kitchen. He’s hanging on by a death grip to his very last shred of dignity when all he wants to do is let go.

.

His cloudy mood dissipates halfway through doing the dishes. Still, it takes with it more than just anger, draining him totally, leaving him not so much clear-headed as feeling like he’s all hollowed out.

Henry knows he’ll get no sleep tonight.

It’s not the couch itself, of course; it’s that even after all this time, sleep still doesn’t come easily without Alex there beside him. It’s David worrying at Henry’s feet, making distressed little snuffling sounds. It’s that no matter how small the fight, or how infrequently they do it, each time it never fails to awaken in Henry all the old fears that Alex will leave him. That Alex will finally decide he’s had enough of—well, all of this. All of Henry.

He tries not to think it too often. It’s not fair to Alex, and to the beautiful life that they’ve built together, but when 3AM comes and the semi-delirium of no sleep sets in, those fears are harder to write off as not real.

He wants nothing more than to go to Alex. To hold him and tell him how sorry he is, that he’s asked for more than he has any right to. That loving someone like Henry is neither simple nor easy, he knows, and he wants to be better, he will be better, for Alex. But that would be letting his fears speak for him, saying he’s less than, that the broken things in him are simply not meant to be loved.

Henry can do better than that. Alex would never stand for such talk, and perhaps more importantly, Henry will not stand for it either.

He tosses and turns, and lets the fears have their moment, looming large there in the dark. And then he gathers a blanket around his shoulders and heads up the stairs.

.

The light is still on in their bedroom. Henry can hear the flip of a page, the faint scratch of a pen from behind the door. He closes his eyes and pictures Alex at their desk, a hand through his hair, his forehead creased in concentration. Henry’s soothed by the routine of it, the familiar touches of a life with a person he knows so well and loves more than it should be possible to love another person but isn’t.

And he owes it to Alex, to let Alex love him back the same way.

Henry tucks himself in right there in the hallway, content just to know that Alex is there, and to not demand anything more of him than that. The fears retreat to their shadows once more, back to a smaller haunting—always there, a part of Henry, but a part that he knows Alex loves, just as fiercely as the rest of him, always.

.

He’s not certain how long he’s dozed for, but the next thing he knows is the feel of Alex’s lips on his brow. The soft way he murmurs, “Baby. Scoot over. David, you too. How long have you been here? Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

“Mm.” Henry cracks a bleary eye open as Alex drapes something heavy around them. His arms encircle Henry next, and it’s hard to think of a reason to move now that it feels like they’re both where they should be. David noses his way beneath the covers, shifting down to curl at their feet. “Love, are these our bed linens?”

“Yeah,” says Alex, nuzzling into Henry’s neck. That one simple touch is enough to make Henry’s entire chest ache with relief. “Was going to sneak onto the couch next to you. This works too though. Fuck, I missed you.”

“We shouldn’t stay on the floor,” Henry tells him, burrowing closer, breathing him in. His words are half-muffled against Alex’s chest. “You need rest, in an actual bed. You’ve worked hard and you deserve the world to show for it.”

“Don’t need any of that,” says Alex. “Just you. I will fight you on that part,” he adds when Henry opens his mouth. “I’m so pissed at myself that you thought for even a second any of those things could matter to me more than this.”

“No, I’ve been selfish,” frowns Henry. “I’ve been too focused on what I want, and what makes me happy, and—”

“Good,” says Alex. “It’s about fucking time.”

And then he leans in and kisses Henry like it’s everything Alex wants too, Henry defending himself, Henry fighting for what he wants and deserves. Henry, knowing he’s loved, and loved, for all that he is and never for a single thing less than that.

[bechloeislegit]

25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2019

DAY 4 - LOVE WILL LEAD YOU BACK

Prompt from FanFiction User malexfaith: Inspired by the Taylor Dane song "Love Will Lead You Back." (See the full prompt at the end of the story).

Nights like this made Beca hate being the Bellas Captain. She longed for the days of her Freshman Year when she could use any one of a number of excuses not to go out with the Bellas.

Beca sat at the table that Stacie had talked some guys into giving up for them. She sipped her beer and peeled the label off the bottle. She cringed at hearing a seriously off-key version of All I Want For Christmas Is You.

"Why aren't you dancing, Beca?" Stacie asked as she flopped into the chair next to Beca.

"Don't feel like it," Beca said, downing the rest of her beer. "Oh, look, I'm empty. I think I'll go get another."

Beca stood up, and Stacie grabbed her arm. "No worries, we got you covered."

Just then, Amy and the other girls came back to the table. Amy had a tray of shots while CR was carrying a tray with fresh drinks for everyone.

"Great," Beca mumbled as she sat back down.

"Come on, Beca," Amy said. "It's Christmas Eve. Celebrate a little."

"Yeah, Beca," Staci said, handing Beca a shot.

Beca took the shot and held it, knowing someone would make a toast before they downed them. Beca smiled a sad smile as she thought about how Chloe was usually the one making the holiday toast.

"Here's to Christmas and getting everything you want," CR said, and the girls downed their shots.

"Gross," Beca said, grimacing. "You guys are hitting the hard stuff early."

"We're all excited for Christmas, Beca," Ashley said, laughing.

"Here," Amy said, passing a beer to Beca. "Wash it down with this."

"Thanks," Beca said and took a drink of the beer. "Ugh, that shot made my beer taste bad."

"Let's dance!" Stacie squealed, and the rest of the Bellas did as well. They all stood, and Stacie held out her hand to Beca. "Let's go, Captain!"

"You guys go ahead," Beca said, remaining seated. "I'm not feeling it right now."

"Come on, Stacie," Jessica yelled from the dance floor.

"Go," Beca said, waving Stacie away.

"Okay," Stacie said. "But, I will get you out there to dance."

Stacie turned and danced her way over to the other Bellas.

Beca sipped at her beer as her mind wandered to another night out where she was forced to dance.

"Come on, Becs," Chloe said, leaning into Beca. "Dance with me."

"I'm not much of a dancer," Beca said.

"Don't lie to me, Mitchell," Chloe said, grabbing Beca and pulling her out of her chair. "I've seen the way you move during Bellas rehearsals."

"That's because it's all choreographed," Beca said. "This would just be me looking stupid."

"I won't let that happen," Chloe said, dragging Beca toward the dance floor. "Just follow me."

Beca followed Chloe, and they danced. Beca even managed to look like she knew what she was doing as long as she followed Chloe's lead.

Beca realized she would follow Chloe anywhere. Sadly, the realization came after Chloe left and Beca was still here.

Beca wiped a tear that threatened to fall down her cheek. "Why can't I get her out of my mind," Beca thought.

"Are you okay, Beca?" Stacie asked, forcing Beca out of her thoughts.

"What? Yeah, I'm fine," Beca said, looking down at the table.

"I know you miss her," Stacie said.

"I wasn't thinking about Chloe," Beca said a little too quickly.

"I didn't mention her name," Stacie retorted.

"I'm sorry," Beca said softly. "I thought that we had something. It hurts to know we had nothing."

"You two had, no, you two have something," Stacie said. "You just didn't tell Chloe how you felt, so she did what she had to do to move on."

"How do you tell your best friend that you fell in love with her?" Beca said. "I thought she'd still be with us and graduate when we did. She always said she failed Russian Lit to stay with the Bellas. Why did she decide to pass last year and go away?"

"I have an answer, but you're not going to like it," Stacie said.

"I'm an idiot?" Beca asked. "Is that your answer."

"In a manner of speaking," Stacie said. "I know you were scared, but we're talking about Chloe here. If she wasn't into you like that, she would have let you down nicely. You never gave her a chance to know you were interested."

"Because I'm not good with that stuff," Beca said. "Talking about my feelings, pouring out my emotions, that's what Chloe does. I thought if she felt anything for me, she would have said something."

"What would you have done if she had?" Stacie asked.

Beca let out a humorless laugh. "I probably would have become flustered and ran away from her."

"Exactly," Stacie said. "She knew that if anything was going to happen between you two, you were going to have to be the one to initiate it."

"Where was this sage advice when I really needed it?" Beca asked.

"It wasn't for me or anyone else to tell you," Stacie said. "You had to figure it out on your own."

Beca chewed on her bottom lip and stared down at the table.

"You should come dance with us," Stacie said. "Get your mind off things."

"Okay," Beca said and let Stacie lead her to the dance floor.

~ Day 4 of 2019's 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases ~

An hour later, the Bellas were all drunk, including their Captain. Another round of shots and drinks found their way to their table and passed around.

"Here's to the Bellas winning their fourth ICCAs this year," Stacie yelled and downed her shot.

"Hear, hear," the other Bellas yelled and downed their shots.

"Oh, God," Beca said, slurring her words. "I have to work on the shet for Shecshinalsh."

"We already have the set for Sectionals," CR said, laughing at Beca.

"We do?" Beca asked her eyes wide. "Ish it good?"

"It's the best," the Bellas yell in unison.

"I should have gone home for Chrishmish," Beca said. "And why can't I say wordsh? Wordsh?" Beca tried to see her lips and why they weren't working. She gave up and leaned toward Stacie. "Whatsh the word I'm looking for?"

Stacie laughed and said, "You just said it."

"I did?' Beca asked. "What ish it?"

"Word," Stacie said.

"Eggshactly," Beca said, causing Stacie and CR to laugh.

"You're drunk," Amy said, shaking her head. "You're such a lightweight."

"Hey!" Beca yelled. "I am not." Beca moved her arm to put it on the table and missed it. "I totesh am. Woo hoo! I'm drunk!"

Beca started laughing as if she had said the funniest thing ever. The rest of the Bellas started laughing at Beca.

Beca stopped laughing and started crying. "I mish her sho much."

"Oh, shit," CR said. "She's crossed over to the emotional side."

"Who do you miss, Beca?" Amy asked with a mischievous grin.

"Amy, don't," Stacie admonished.

"I mish Chloe," Beca said and laid her head on the table as she sobbed uncontrollably. "I love her so much!"

"I knew it!" Amy yelled, throwing her fist in the air.

"Dammit," Stacie mumbled, putting her arm across Beca's shoulders. "Come on, Becs. You hate to cry in front of people. Especially people you don't know."

Beca's head jerked up, hitting Stacie on the chin.

"Ow," Stacie said, pulling away from Beca and putting her hand to her chin.

"Ish people looking at me?" Beca asked, wiping her face and looking around.

"Just us, Beca," Jessica said as the Bellas stared wide-eyed at Beca. "I've never seen her get this far gone before."

"I'm going to go," Beca said and stood from her chair. "I, uh, I'm gonna go home."

Beca swayed, and CR grabbed her to keep her from falling.

"Stay here with us, Beca," CR said, pushing Beca back in her seat.

"M'kay," Beca said.

"Someone get her some water," Stacie said.

Ashley jumped up. "I'll get it."

"Beca, Ashley is getting you some water," Stacie said, holding Beca's face so she would look at her. "When she gets back, I want you to drink it all, okay?"

"Kay," Beca said with a goofy grin on her face as she stared at Stacie. She reached up and ran her hand down Stacie's face. "You're pretty."

"You're pretty, too," Stacie said, smiling as Beca started patting her cheek.

"You know who elsh ish pretty?" Beca asked, dropping her hand to her lap.

"Who?" Stacie asked.

"Chloe," Beca said wistfully. "Chloe ish soooooooooo pretty."

"Yes, Chloe is pretty, too," Stacie said, smiling. She hated to admit it, but Drunk Beca was one of her favorite Becas.

"Here you go, Stacie," Ashley said, holding out two bottles of water.

"Thanks, Ash," Stacie said as CR took the water.

CR opened one of the bottles and handed it to Stacie. Stacie kept one hand under Beca's chin to hold her head up. She put the bottle to Beca's lips.

"Drink up, Beca," Stacie said.

Beca sputtered a bit but drank down the water.

~ Day 4 of 2019's 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases ~

After two bottles of water, a bathroom break, and going outside into the crisp air, Beca was now less drunk but not quite sober.

"God," Beca said, holding her head in her hands. "Why did you guys let me drink sho," Beca cleared her throat, "so much."

"We tried to stop you," Jessica said. "But Amy was helping you by handing you shot after shot."

"She needed to let loose," Amy said. "And it worked."

"You're lucky it's Chrishmish. Ugh, Christmas," Beca said, glaring at Amy. She suddenly furrowed her brow and looked around. "Where's Lily?"

"I'm not sure I want to know," CR said.

"Me, either," Ashley said.

Someone got up to sing another rendition of All I Want For Christmas Is You, and Bece cringed.

"Don't you have any other songs on your playlist?" Beca yelled, looking over at the karaoke DJ.

"It's a romantic holiday song, Beca," Jessica said. "They're singing it to let their significant other know that they want them for Christmas."

"Don't you want someone to be yours for Christmas?" Ashley asked.

Beca glared at her and snarled, "No, I don't. And thanks for the reminder that I don't have anyone."

Ashley raised her hands and sat back in her chair.

"Then what do you want for Christmas, Beca?" Stacie asked. "If Santa were here, standing in front of you and said you could have whatever you wanted, what would you ask for?"

"That's a great question," CR said. "I think I'd ask for a steady stream of money so I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted."

"I'd ask for a nice house," Ashley said. "All paid for so I wouldn't have a mortgage or rent payment."

"I'd ask for a nice modern cabin where I could go on vacation," Jessica said. "It would look rustic on the outside, but have all the modern conveniences on the inside."

"I'd ask for someone to love me as much as I love them," Stacie said with a sigh. "Retire the hunter for good."

Beca laughed. "I thought you found that someone with Aubrey."

"I did," Stacie said with a smile. "But I'm not sure Aubrey loves me as much as I love her."

"Are you kidding?" Beca asked incredulously. "You two are forever." Beca sighed. "That's what I want. I want what you and Aubrey have. I, um, thought I could have that, but now, I don't think it's a possibility anymore."

"You could still have that, Beca," Stacie said.

"She's right, Beca," CR said. "You just need to reach out to Chloe and let her know how you feel."

"I never mentioned Chloe," Beca said. "I could be talking about someone else."

"Are you?" CR asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," Beca said and sighed. She blushed a bit before adding, "All I want for Christmas is Chloe."

"Go sing about it," Stacie said. "Find a song that says what you want to say to Chloe and sing it. You always said you let the music speak for you. So, let it."

"Yeah, Beca," Amy said. "It beats having you moping around all the time."

"Give it a shot, Beca," CR encouraged her.

Beca grimaced and looked around the table. "You're right. I'm going to do it."

Beca got up and stumbled toward the karaoke DJ, and the girls cheered her on. She asked to see the list of songs and started looking through them. She saw one that caught her eye, and she smiled. She pointed it out to the DJ and gave her name.

"You're up after this one," the DJ told her.

Beca nodded and went back over to the table. "I'm going to need a drink after this."

"I'll buy you a drink," CR said. "And it will be waiting here for you when you are done."

It wasn't long before Beca's name was called. She made her way to the stage and took the microphone.

"Um, before I start," Beca said to the crowd. "I just want to say, if you love someone, tell them. Don't let another moment go by without them knowing how you feel. I kept my mouth shut out of fear and lost someone who I believe is the love of my life. I am living in a world where I hope someday she realizes she has feelings for me, and she comes back to me. That love will lead her back."

Beca swallowed and nodded at the DJ. The music started, and Beca took a breath before she started singing.

Saying goodbye Is never an easy thing But you never said that you'd stay forever So if you must go Well, darlin', I'll set you free But I know in time that we'll be together

I won't try to stop you now from leaving 'Cause in my heart I know

Love will lead you back Someday I just know that Love will lead you back to my arms Where you belong

Stacie's phone pinged with a text. After reading it, she smiled and left the table. She continued to watch and listen as she made her way to the back of the bar.

I'm sure, sure as stars are shining One day you will find me again It won't be long One of these days our love will lead you back

One of these nights Well I'll hear your voice again You're gonna say, oh how much you missed me You'll walk out this door But someday you'll walk back in Darling I know, I know this will be

Sometimes it takes, some time out on your own now To find your way back home

Love will lead you back Someday I just know that Love will lead you back to my arms Where you belong

Stacie walked back over to the table and sat down. She sipped her drink as she listened to Beca.

"I'm going to get Beca's beer," CR said.

"Don't," Stacie said. "She's going to need to be sober."

"Okay," CR said. "I'm going to get me another beer. Can I bring you anything?"

Stacie shook her head, and CR went to the bar.

I'm sure, sure as stars are shining One day you will find me again It won't be long One of these days our love will lead you back, oh

I won't try to stop you now from leaving 'Cause in my heart I know, oh yeah

Love will lead you back Someday I just know that Love will lead you back to my arms Where you belong

I'm sure, sure as stars are shining One day you will find me again It won't be long One of these days our love will lead you back, oh yeah

Love will lead you back Someday I just know that Love will lead you back to my arms It won't be long

One of these days Our love will lead you back

The song ended, and the crowd applauded and cheered; none more so than the Bellas. Beca thanked everyone and turned to hand the mic back to the DJ. She froze when she saw a certain redhead standing just behind him, with tears in her eyes and a big smile on her face.

"Chloe?"

Beca threw the mic to the DJ and jumped off the stage. She stumbled as she landed, but Chloe caught her by the arms before she fell to the floor. Beca stood in front of Chloe and stared at her.

"Hey, Becs," Chloe said, releasing Beca's arms.

"What are you doing here?" Beca asked.

"Well, I had to come back to get something I forgot," Chloe said.

"What did you forget?" Beca asked, confused.

"You," Chloe said, causing Beca's breath to hitch.

"Wha-, um, what does that mean?"

"It means love has led me back to you," Chloe said. "I love you, too, Becs."

Beca rushed forward and grabbed Chloe in a hug. Chloe let out a small sob and pulled Beca tighter to her.

"I'm glad you came back," Beca whispered with tears in her eyes.

"So am I," Chloe whispered back, sniffling.

Beca pulled back from the hug and stared into Chloe's eyes. She smiled and said, "May I kiss you?"

"I'd be hurt if you didn't," Chloe said and closed the distance between their lips.

The Bellas could be heard yelling and screaming behind Chloe. Stacie looked at Aubrey and smiled before kissing her.

Beca and Chloe ended their kiss, and Beca reached up to wipe Chloe's tears.

"Um, how long are you here for?" Beca asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"At least until May," Chloe said. "The teaching job in New York was only for this semester. Aubrey's hired me as a temp to help her at the retreat."

"Why only until May?" Beca asked.

"Because that's when you graduate," Chloe said. "And I'm hoping to convince you to ask me to go wherever you go."

Beca's smile got wider. "Even if I'm going all the way across the country to LA? Away from your best friend and your family?"

"I'll go with you even if you go to LA," Chloe said without any thought. "You're my best friend. My family. The love of my life. I'll go wherever you ask me to."

"Then I'm asking you to move to LA with me," Beca said, smiling.

"Then I'm moving to LA with you," Chloe said, smiling back at her.

Beca kissed Chloe again. The ended the kiss when they both couldn't stop smiling.

"I got exactly what I asked Santa for," Beca said. "Merry Christmas to me!"

"Me, too," Chloe said and leaned it to kiss Beca again.

Stacie and Aubrey watched Beca and Chloe. When they kissed again, Stacie said, "Looks like we both know our best friends better than they know themselves."

"It didn't take much convincing to get Chloe to come," Aubrey said. "It took a lot to keep her from jumping Beca as soon as we got here."

Chloe pulled back from the kiss to catch her breath. She leaned her forehead against Beca's.

"I love you, Becs," Chloe whispered.

"I love you, too, Chloe."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Full Prompt from malexfaith: Inspired by the Taylor Dane song Love Will Lead You Back. One of them is asked what their Christmas wish is... I'm thinking of having them think about it and then getting up on stage singing that song. To have the other hiding in the crowd, and Christmas wish granted.

Song Used: Love Will Lead You Back by Taylor Dane

[rhnuzlocke]

Chapter Two: In Another Land

Ren stood at the front desk in the Oldale Pokemon Center, flanked by her parents. Tāraki lay back on the counter, pushing himself up and down with his tail in what seemed to be his version of push-ups while Ren filled out her information. She signed her name and slid the tablet back to the nurse.

“Okay!” he said cheerfully as he checked everything over. “That should be it for the paperwork.” He handed Ren a square device that looked more like a mini laptop than any Pokégear she’d ever seen. “Here is your trainer card and PokéNav, which comes loaded with all of the basic apps and functions. You can buy anything else you might want online, and it will download pretty much anywhere that isn’t underground. Congratulations, you are now a registered trainer!”

“Thank you so much,” Ren said as Tāraki hopped to his feet and clambered up her arm to crouch on her shoulder, tail swaying.

“You’re welcome!” the nurse responded with a smile.

Senri leaned back on the counter to face his daughter. “I was beginning to think it would never happen.”

She shot an irritated glance his way and responded in Kantogo so that the nurse wouldn’t overhear. “Don’t you dare be smug about this.”

“Who’s smug?” he said jovially. “I’m just happy.”

“Good, because Tāraki is the one who roped me into this.”

Senri looked no less pleased because of her harshness, and Ren turned to her mother, who was bravely was trying not to cry.

“Oh, Renko,” she said, hugging her daughter tightly, “I’m so proud.”

“Okāsan, arigatō,” Ren chuckled, hugging her back.

“Well, I really have to get to work. I can’t wait to tell everyone my daughter is finally a trainer!”

“Otōsaannn,” Ren groaned, but he ignored her.

“See you later!” he called as he exited.

Ren snorted at him, and Tāraki filched the trainer ID out of her hand while she was distracted.

“You should go to the mart to get your supplies,” Asuka prompted. “I’m going to head home and unpack for a bit. Ahh, the joys of moving. I’ll see you for dinner, I hope?”

“I’ll be home early to help, silly,” Ren assured her, giving her a kiss on the head.

Oldale was small, but was still an actual town equipped with all of the amenities that designation implied like a grocery store, post office, fire station, and library. Ren wandered down the main street for a bit before striking back out onto Route 101.

Tāraki bounded excitedly ahead of Ren on the trail for a bit, then climbed a tree and started leaping from branch to branch, flipping and twisting midair as his confidence built up steam. Despite his   circuitous route, he inevitably outstripped her. He landed on a low branch and swung beneath it, hanging like a Zubat as he waited for her to catch up. Ren laughed at him and picked up her pace.

A bush rustled near the path ahead of them and Tāraki launched himself into it before Ren could think. There were sounds of struggle, and a moment later, he came tumbling back out and landed on his face.

“Tāraki?”

Instead of a wild pokemon, Jay the Torchic emerged from the bushes with a disgruntled cluck. She cheeped angrily at Tāraki as he picked himself up. He made a quiet gurgle, looking moderately contrite.

Pacified, she turned to Ren and chirped pleasantly.

“Hi Jay,” Ren replied. “Sorry about him. Is Kai around?”

Jay trilled loudly into the woods and Kai’s distant voice responded, followed soon after by the rest of him.

“Hey Ren!” Jay peeped something to him before Ren could greet him. “Ha, sounds like him,” said Kai with a fond grin at Tāraki. But apparently Jay wasn’t done and she jerked her head at Ren this time. “Um…” Kai ventured uncertainly, clearly not eager to repeat whatever his pokemon was saying. Jay peeped stubbornly and jerked her head more forcefully. “Okay,” Kai muttered to her under his breath before looking back up at Ren. “She says she already told him, but you should also tell Treecko to be more careful because he’ll listen now that you’re his trainer—no she’s—”

Jay interrupted his objection with an emphatic chirp.

“Wait, that’s a PokéNav! So you are a trainer now?”

“Yeah,” Ren admitted. “We were just in Oldale registering.”

“Awesome!” Kai crowed. “What changed your mind?” Then more softly as he lost confidence: “Or maybe you always wanted to…”

“Tāraki talked me into it,” she explained. “And Jay is right, please don’t go pouncing on things without looking. There could have been a Growlithe in that bush for all you knew.”

“Not in this region!” Kai chuckled, then caught himself. “BUT, um, it’s great that you’re a trainer now! The only other trainer I know is your dad, and he is like super busy all the time but now we can battle and, uh, um, that is, if you want?” He seemed to notice his babbling and the rather discouraging expression on Ren’s face at about the same time and abruptly changed topic. “SOOO, Tāraki? His name is Tāraki?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, like a breeze, right? I like it. It really fits.” Kai looked like he might still implode from embarrassment and Ren finally cracked a smile.

“So, what do you think, Shima? Ready for your first official battle?”

Tāraki hopped up, fist in the air, then flexed unimpressively.

Kai remained dumb for a moment. “Oh! How about you Jay? Ready to take ’em?”

Jay trilled and tensed into a fighting stance, eyes glinting.

Kai tapped his PokéNav, and Ren followed suit. Once the battle parameters were set, the two began.

“We’ll start!” Ren called “Pound her legs, she’s only got two!”

Tāraki dove forward and spun, tail sweeping low.

“Catch him!” Kai commanded.

Jay reacted fluidly, grabbing Tāraki’s tail with one foot and spinning on the other. Her talons dug in as she used the momentum to fling Tāraki away.

“Naruhodo! Ni ashi dake ga hitsuyo desu!” Ren muttered, eyebrows raised. She grinned and her whole face lit up. “Alright, hit with your fist this time. Use your tail as a counterweight!”

Tāraki leapt forward again, too fast for Jay to dodge. She caught his punch, but he swung his tail as he wrenched his arm to the side. Jay hit the ground and released him.

“She’s open!” Ren cried.

Tāraki was already diving on top of her.

“Kick him!” Kai yelled.

Jay rolled onto her back just in time to meet Tāraki’s chest with both feet. Tāraki went flying, but flipped in the air and gracefully stuck the landing.

“Nice save, Shima!” Ren cheered. “Try a one-two combo.”

Jay caught the first strike but had nothing for the second and went sliding back, even more winded because she was holding on.

“Let her up and aim high this time!” Ren commanded.

Jay hopped to her feet, and Tāraki leapt up into the air for an overhead somersault tail-strike.

“Bring him back down!”

Jay flipped as Tāraki came down, catching him mid-air so that Tāraki landed on his back with Jay on his chest. He groaned, but when his eyes re-opened, they were full of defiance. He grabbed her leg, but before he could throw her off, she head-butted him. His arms fell to the ground, stunned.

“Alright, you beat us.” Ren conceded, still smiling. She crouched down as Jay hopped off him. “You okay, Tāraki?”

The Treecko hauled himself up into a sitting position and grimaced, but gave her the thumbs up.

“Good battle,” Ren told him encouragingly. “Maybe just lay off some of the unnecessary flipping, at least when your opponent is almost as fast as you.” They smiled at each other, and Ren turned to Jay. “And you have some nice moves, my friend!” She offered her fist and Jay tapped it with a preee!

“That was a close match. You guys did great,” Kai congratulated them.

“Thanks!” Ren responded as she scooped up Tāraki. “I better go patch this guy up.”

“Bring him back to the lab! We have a health care machine there. No one would mind, and it’ll save you a bunch on potions and stuff.”

“I’ve never used one,” Ren admitted.

“I’ll show you!” Kai volunteered. “It’s super simple! I’m sure Jay could use a break too after that.”

“Lead the way,” Ren told him.

They started off towards Littleroot but barely got ten feet before Kai’s enthusiasm got the better of him again.

“Oh, and when we get back to the lab we can load DexNav and some other apps on your nav! You can even have some pokeballs if you want! You’re helping with the pokedex so it’s totally fine!”

Ren tried and failed not to smile at his excited rambling.

“Of course, I hadn’t bought any pokeballs. But I couldn’t say no when it made him so happy.”

And was that the only reason?  

“It felt like it. I held out for a while. But you’re probably right. Somehow I’m always working against myself.”

...

Tāraki was already hanging from the door, and Ren had to laugh at his impatience before caving to his wishes and setting out into a warm and misty morning. They had barely made it to the road when she spotted her neighbor setting out as well.

“Hello, Kai! Where are you off to?”

He stopped and waved, letting her catch up to him. “Just up to the pond off Route 103 and then over to the estuary. A wild told us that they’d seen Rosy Wingull in the area, and we’re trying to confirm if any migrate through the mid-continent.”

“That sounds cool. Tāraki and I don’t really have a plan. He just wanted to go out.”

“Oh, do you maybe want to come with us then?” he ventured, wringing his hands.

“Yeah! That would be great!”

Her enthusiasm seemed to soothe his nerves and his shoulders fell back down from around his ears. He didn’t say much at first as they hiked up the trail, but she started asking him questions about the local flora and fauna and soon he was rambling away with barely a pause to let her get a word in.

“It was nice having such an expert to guide me around when I first got here. Thanks to him, none of it seemed so strange after a while.”

I think perhaps I owe him something as well, for making you feel at home here.  

“I probably wouldn’t be doing any of this without him.”

Perhaps not.  

“So will you let me tell him?”

I will… consider it.  

There were no Wingull—Rosy or otherwise—on the pond, so Ren strode up to its edge and looked down into the clear, dark water. “It looks so deep.”

“It is,” said Kai. “It used to be a quarry, a very old one, all pokemon excavation.”

She admired it a little longer, until Tāraki stuck his whole head in and blew bubbles into it, which made her snort with laughter. They settled some distance away so as not to disturb any wild pokemon who came to drink, and passed an hour or two with intermittent conversation, just watching the world go by.

“He taught me how to record with the pokedex, so I could actually help a little with Prof. Birch’s pokemon distribution work, and showed me how to look up all kinds of useful things. It really is an amazing tool. And it’s always tough to not be at least a little interested with how excited Kai is about it.”

I have always found the human desire to collect knowledge admirable and quite useful at times. It is one of the reasons Latias and I work with your species. Even existing as long as we have, we could never hope to gather as much.  

“That almost makes me feel proud, but also pretty under-qualified.”

Nonsense. Please continue. There must be a reason you found this day important.  

An unusual Taillow caught Ren’s eye and she grabbed for his wrist. “Kai, what variant is—” The way he startled at her touch made her draw back immediately and cut her question short. He looked absolutely mortified, and her gut twisted up in knots. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he said quickly.

She couldn’t look at him. “I shouldn’t have—I wasn’t thinking.”

“I wanted to leave it there. I hate exposing myself like that. But it felt like I owed him an explanation.”

You are brave, Ren. You were afraid, but you did what you thought was right.

“Some things are worth the risk.”

“In Johto, we don’t use personal names unless you’re very close to the person. I guess I’m still getting used to it not meaning the same thing here.”

“It really is okay,” Kai said gently, and she dared to meet his eyes again. “I don’t mind. I just startle easy, that’s all. And I’d like to be friends. It would make our parents happy.”

She grinned. “Are yours bugging you too?”

“Lots of  ‘subtle’ hints.”

They both laughed at that, quietly at first but ending loud enough to send a flock of Taillow from the trees.

“Oops,” Ren said, still chuckling. “Should we head down to the estuary?”

“Probably,” he said, and she pulled him to his feet as if he wasn’t a good stone heavier than she was. “I’m still not used to how strong you are.”

“It’s the judo,” she said with a broad grin and flexed, patting her bicep. “And you’re one to talk.” She poked his arm as they started off down the hill. “I saw you scurry up a tree like a Sentret yesterday.”

“I like climbing. My dad and I used to go all the time.”

“After that it was so easy. I probably should have known it was all going too fast, but I guess that’s just how I’ve always been.”

I think it’s one of your finer qualities. But I suppose I don’t have the same sensibilities as a human.  

“Well I think that’s a strange sensibility for an immortal, but thanks all the same.”